THE boss of a North-East family firm has said he will be forced out of business if cigarette vending machines are banned.

Ken Normington, who owns JKN Vending in Washington, Tyne and Wear, is angry that cigarette vending machines in England will be banned from next October if legislation goes ahead.

Mr Normington, who is hoping that a legal challenge by the tobacco industry might derail the plans, maintains that the ban is a totally disproportionate response to the problem of underage smokers getting their supplies from vending machines.

Mr Normington, who has run the small family business for 37 years, said vending machines represent just one per cent of the trade in cigarettes, adding: “We don’t believe the problem is as big as they say and we don’t believe the kids will pay £7 for a pack of 18 cigarettes.”

Mr Normington said technology is now available which will allow bar staff to check someone’s age and then unlock a vending machine remotely, adding: “The technology is working well in Spain and Holland and could be installed here very quickly.”

Mr Normington said he will have to scrap £120,000-worth of equipment if the ban is introduced.

The tobacco industry will seek a judicial review in the High Court next week.

The National Association of Cigarette Machine Operators (Nacmo) said the future of more than 250 UK businesses, including JKN Vending and Upsall Vending, in Middlesbrough, and more than 650 jobs, hang in the balance pending the result.

A Nacmo spokesman appealed to the coalition Government to give the industry more time to prove that there was a technical solution to the problem.

Mr Normington, his wife and his son are all non-smokers. He said: “I have never claimed benefit or been on the sick and they were happy to take tax for years.

We have done nothing wrong but they want to wipe us out.”

The business involves selecting sites for cigarette vending machines and then stocking and servicing them.